Egg carton



April 18, 1967 J. RODISH EGG CARTON Filed Oct. 2l, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet .'2

Q M04' v S;

las '//f E hf 11 d? bz \\\`m mm April 18, 1967 Filed Oct. 2l, 1965 J. RoDlsH EGG CARTON 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 J. RODISH EGG CARTON April 18, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 2l, 1965 April 18, 1967 J. RODISH EGG CARTON 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 2l, 1965 United States Patent O 3,314,538 EGG CARTUN John Rodish, 172() Highland Eike, Covington, Ky. 41011 nnen oet. 2i, rase, ser. No. 499,755 l Claims. (Cl. 229-29) This invention relates to paperboard egg cartons.

It has been an objective of this invention to provide an improved unitary, paperboard egg carton for packaging eggs for ret'ail sale.

Egg cartons are throw-away items which are seldom, if ever, reused and therefore must be inexpensive if they are not to unreasonably increase the price of eggs to the consumer. The cartons should ideally be made from a minimum amount of inexpensive material, such as paperboard, and should have high strength or rigidity characteristics as well as some resiliency so that the cartons protect the eggs against crushing and breaking forces. As a practical commercial matter, the cartons must be capable of erection upon an `automatic or at least serniautomatic machine and must have a maximum amount of printing space available for retailer or wholesaler advertising. Additionally, the cartons should have a maximum amount of ventilation so that the individual eggs are not insulated by the carton from cooling refrigerator air but, while maximizing ventilation, the cartons should not have any cutouts or holes which weaken the carton and waste carton material.

It has, therefore, been an objective of this invention to provide a paperboard egg carton which satisfies all of these criteria; which incorporates a minimum amount of paperboard to form the carton; which is so congurated that it affords a very high degree of protection for eggs contained therein, which is capable of erection or set-up upon a fully automatic machine; which has a higher percentage of space available for printing or advertising than most commercially available cartons; and which provides excellent ventilation of eggs contained therein without having any holes or cut-outs cut from the paperboard carton.

Another objective of this invention has been to provide a commercially acceptable carton in which the smooth coated surface of the carton blank, the surface which is exposed on the exterior of the` erected carton, is also exposed for printing on the interior of the erected carton. iost egg cartons 'are made from relatively inexpensive paperboard which has only one surface suitable for printing. Therefore, if the interior of the egg carton is to contain advertising or printing, this surface must be exposed on the interior of the carton as well as the exterior.

Briefly, the carton which accomplishes these objectives is of an integral, one piece construction without any cutouts or holes to weaken it or waste paperboard sheet from which it is cut. It consists of front and rear panels interconnected by a bottom panel which is inclined upwardly from the lower edges of the front and rear panels toward the longitudinal center line of the carton. The carton further includes a longitudinal vertical partition panel folded upon itself and extending longitudinally of the carton. This vertical partition is joined to egg cell or pocket defining transverse partition panels which extend from the vertical partition to the front and rear panels. The eggs are held stationary in the cells or pockets by downwardly bent flaps cut from the transverse partition panels and the assembled carton is held in erected or assembled condition by center posts cut from the transverse partition panel 4and extending downwardly from the vertical partition through slots in the bottom panel.

The primary advantage of this carton is that it utilizes a minimum amount of paperboard to form a relatively rigid and yet resilient egg carton. It has also the advantage of providing additional printing or advertising space on the inside of the carton on the front side of the vertical partition panel.

Another advantage of the egg carton of this invention is that it provides ease of access to eggs contained therein. In fact, nearly the complete upper half of all eggs contained in the carton of this invention are exposed for easy gripping and removal.

Another advantage of this egg carton is that the individual eggs are restrained against movement in self adjusting cells or pockets so that a single size carton can easily accommodate small, large, or extra-large eggs.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention of this application will become more readily apparent from the following description of the drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of an egg carton, partially broken away, incorporating the invention of this application,

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the egg carton of FIGURE l taken through a pair of opposed egg receiving .pockets or cells,

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan View of a portion of the egg carton of FIGURE l,

FIGURE 4 is a top plan layout, partially broken away, of the cut and scored sheet 0r blank used to form the carton of FIGURE l,

FIGURE 5 is a top plan layout, partially broken away, of another cut and scored blank used to form a second embodiment of the inventive egg carton of this application,

FIGURE 6 is an end elevational view of the assembled carton made from the blank of FIGURE 5,

FIGURE 7 is a `bottom plan View of a portion of the assembled egg carton made from the blank of FIG- URE 5.

Referring rst to FIGURE 4, there is illustrated a cut and scored blank l@ from which the egg carton or closed box 11 of FIGURE l is assembled. It will be seen that this blank l0 is generally rectangular in configuration and has no cutouts or holes in it. Since cutouts only serve to weaken the carton which is ultimately formed from the blank and create an undesirable scrap problem during manufacture, a carton of this type is preferable to one with the conventional multiplicity of cutouts.

Generally, the blank 1i) consists of a plurality of cut and scored panels interconnected by fold lines to form a flat integral unit. When properly folded yalong the fold lines, the carton forms into the closed box 11 having a pair of rows of egg receiving cells or pockets separated longitudinally by a longitudinal partition 12, the individual cells of each row being separated by a plurality of spaced transverse partitions 13.

The panels which make up the finished carton consist of, in sequential order, a front closure ap 15, a cover 16, a rear panel 17, a rear bottom panel 18, a front bottom panel 19, a front panel 29, a front transverse p-artition panel 21, the vertical partition panel 12, a rear transverse panel 22, and a glue flap 23.

The front closure flap 15 is located at one end of the rectangular blank l@ and has -a plurality of conventional locking hooks 25 formed along one edge and adapted to be received over gussets 26, 27, 2S and 29 formed between the transverse partitions 21 and the front panel 20 to lock the cover of the carton in closed position. A longitudinal fold line 34 connects the front closure ap l5 to the cover panel 16. The cover 16 and closure flap 15 have a transverse score line 30 which divides the cover so that it may be separated into two halves, either one of which may be indvidually opened as illustrated in 3 FGURE 1. A fold line 35 connects the cover 16 to the rear panel 17. Connecting the rear panel 17 to the rear ybottom panel 18 is a longitudinal fold line 36.

The front and rear bottom panels 19, 18 are identical and are joined together by a fold line 37. Each bottom panel 13, 19 includes six longitudinally spaced slots 38 for receiving center posts during the erection of the carton as is explained more fully hereinafter. Each slot 38 is generally arrow shaped and points toward the fold line 37 so `as to define an arrow shaped flap 39 in the bottom panel.

The front panel 2t) is connected to the front bottom panel 19 by a fold line 4t), and to the front transverse partition panel 21 by a plurality of spaced gusset forming fold lines 43 and co-linear cut lines 44. Together, the co-linear fold lines 43 and cut lines 44 define a fold line or line of articulation between the transverse partition panel 21 and the front panel 21).

It will be noted that the front panel 20 is approximately half the height of the rear panel 17 and that likewise, the front closure flap is approximately half the height of the rear panel 17. Together, the front panel and the closure ap 15 define the front side of the egg carton when the lid or cover 16 is closed. When the carton is opened, the top half of the front side of the carton, the closure flap 15, opens with the cover 16 and thus exposes approximately the upper half of the eggs 45 contained within the rows of cells or pockets.47 for ease of extraction.

Each transverse partition panel 211, 22 is the mirror image of the other and, therefore, only the front transverse partition panel 21 has been described in detail. Identical numerals have been used to designate similar portions of the front transverse partition panel 21 and the rear transverse partition panel 22. The rear transverse partition panel 22 is joined to the glue flap 23 by co-linear fold lines 43 and cut lines 44 rather than to the front panel 20. Separating the two is the vertical parition panel 12 which, when .the carton is assembled, is reversely foldable upon itself about a longitudinal fold line 4S. When the transverse partition panels 21, 22 are folded away from the reversely folded vertical partition panel 12, they are located in the same or a common horizontal plane as may be seen most clearly in FIGURES 1 and 2.

As may be seen most clearly in FIGURE 4, the transverse partition panel 21 is divided into the plurality of egg receiving cells or pockets 4'7 by flaps 511A-SQL which, in the assembled carton, are folded downwardly so that two opposed flaps engage each egg in the assembled carton and restrain it against movement. Between each pair of flaps 511A-ML is defined -a center post 51 which is integral with the vertical partition panel 12 and forms a continuation of it in the assembled carton.

Since the preferred embodiment of the carton is designed to hold a dozen eggs, each transverse partition panel 21, 22 defines six egg receiving cells or pockets 47. Thus, there are twelve flaps 511A-SQL, two for each egg, and six center posts 51 in each transverse partition panel.

Each of the flaps SOA-SQL is defined by a pair of cut lines 65, 66 which intersect cut line 44 as well as a cut line 67 which defines the generally T-shaped center post 51.

The flaps SQA-SOL are connected to and supported from t-he front panel 20 and the vertical partition panel 12 by a pair of transversely opposed gussets. Each pair of gussets 31-54, 32-55, 33-57, 41-58, other than those 26-53, 29-59 `at the ends of the carton and those 27-56, 28-56 at the center of the carton, support a pair of aps which are foldable about a fold line 6ft. Those gussets 26-53, 29-59 located at the longitudinal ends of the carton support only the single flaps 50A and SGL respectively while the gussets 27-56, 28-56 at the center of the carton support the pair of aps 50E, 50G for folding about a cut line 61.

As may be seen most clearly in FIGURE 4, the front gussets 26, 29 which support the end flaps StiL and 50A respectively, are defined by the fold line 43, a fold line 68 which is co-linear with the cut line 65 and a fold line 69 normal to the fold line 68. The rear gussets 53, 59 for supporting the end flaps are defined by a fold line 70 between the transverse partition panel 21 and the vertical partition panel 12 and a diagonal fold line 71 which extends between the end of the cut line 67 and the edge of the carton blank.

The front gussets 41, 33, 32, 31 which support the flaps 511B-E and SOH-K, are defined by the front fold lines 43, a portion of the fold lines 6d, and the diagonal cut line 65. The rear gussets 5S, 57, 55, 54 between the flaps 50B-E and SGH-K and the vertical panel 12 are generally the same configuration as the front gussets and are defined by the fold lines 73 between the transverse partition panel 21 and the vertical partition panel 12, the fold lines 60 between adjacent flaps, and the diagonal cut lines 72 which extend between the fold lines 69 and the end of the cut lines 67 which define the center posts 51 of the carton.

The front gussets 27, 2S which support the two centermost flaps SGF and EGG of the front transverse partition panel 21 are defined by the front fold line 43 and a pair of diagonal cut lines 75, 76 which intersect the fold line 43. Extending beyond the ends of Vthe cut lines 75, 76 are a pair of fold lines 77, 73 which are co-linear with the cut lines 75, 76 and intersect at the cut line 61. Normal to and intersecting the cut lines 75, 76 are `a second pair of fold lines 79, Sti which also intersect at the cut line 61.

The rear gussets 55 which support the rear side of the centerrnost flaps SttF and 50G are defined by a rear fold line 81 between the gussets 56 and the vertical partition panel 12, and a pair of fold lines 82, 83 which intersect at the c-ut line 61. The fold lines S2, S3 extend between the ends of the flap defining cut lines 67 and the cut line 61.

As may be seen most clearly in FIGURE 4, the gusset defining fold lines 70 .and 81 at the ends and center of the carton, are `colinear and closer to the vertical partition fold line 48 than the parallel gusset forming fold lines 73 of the other flaps. Thus, when the carton is assembled, the end flaps 56A and SL as well as the center flaps 5tlF and StiG are higher or `closer to the top of the*y carton than the other flaps. Thus, these en-d flaps 59A and SGL prevent small eggs from inadvertently falling' from the carton. If the carton is torn in half, so as to hold a half dozen eggs, the high center flaps StlF and 50G then serve the same purpose.

The center posts 51 form integral extensions of thevertical partition panel 12. When this panel is reversely fol-ded upon itself about the longitudinal fold line l48, the posts 51 lie in the same plane as that half of the vertical partition panel 12 to which the lposts are joined.

The rear transverse partition panel 22 is joined by the cut lines 44 and fold lines 43 to the generally rectangular glue flap 23. This flap is coated with a layer of adhesive so that when the carton blank is folded about the cut lines 44 and fold lines 43 between the front transverse partition panel 21 and the front panel 20, the glue flap 23 may be secured to the underside or what will become the inside surface of the rear panel 17 of the blank. As may be seen most clearly in FIGURE 1, the glue strip 23 is adhered to the lower half of the rear panel 17 `at a point approximately medially of the rear panel.

The flat, partially assembled carton is usually transported from the carton fabricator to the egg packer in the flat condition with the glue flap 23 adhered to the inside surface of the rear panel 17. The packer then simply stacks the cartons into machines which effect the erection and prepare the carton for either manual or automatic insertion of eggs into the egg cells.

To complete the erection of t-he fiat pre-glued carton, the front center posts 51 are creased about their center lines 35 so as to define a generally V-shaped crosssectional configuration (see FIGURE 1). After having thus been forced into a V-shaped conguration, the enlarged endmost portion or head 86 of the front center posts 51 are inserted through the arrow-shaped slots 38 in the front bottom panel 19 and through the narrow neck portion 87 of the slots so that the center posts 51 are locked within the slots. In the assembled carton, the neck portion 87 of each slot 38 catches and restrains the generally enlarged head portion 86 of a T-shaped center post so as to prevent it from being inadvertently withdrawn through the slot 38. The arrow-shaped tab 39 defined by the slot 38 then fits within the V-shaped crease of the center post and holds it against accidental or inadvertent unlocking.

Similarly, the center posts 51 of the rear transverse partition panel 22 are inserted through the slots 38 of the rear bottom panel 18 so as to complete the erection of the carton. In actuality, the center posts 51 in both the front transverse partition ypanel and the rear transverse partition panel are simultaneously inserted by the erection machine through the slots 33 in the front and rear bottom panels 18 and 19 respectively.

After the carton has thus been erected, eggs may be forced into the cells by forcing the aps 511A-SOL downwardly so as to define egg receiving pockets 47. The inherent resiliency of the flaps 50A50L tends to force them back into the horizontal plane after the eggs have been forced into the cells with the result that the aps tend to hold the eggs immobile within the cells.

As may be seen most clearly in FIGURE 2, the front edges 44 of the flaps SQA-SGL cut from the front transverse partition panel 21 and the rear edges 4d of those flaps SGA-SQL cut from the `rear transverse partition panel 22 engage the front panel 211 and the rear panel 17 respectively in the assembled carton. By engaging these panels, the deflected flaps A-StlL impart transverse rigidity to the cartons.

After the eggs have been inserted into the cells 47, the cover y16 may be articulated about the fold line 35 so as to cover the eggs and the front closure flap may be `folded downwardly about the fold line 34 and the lock hooks 25 hooked beneath the gussets 26, 27, 218, 29 so as to secure the cover or lid over the filled carton. To open the carton, the front closure flap need only be pushed rearwardly so as to disengage the hooks 25 from the gussets and the cover lifted into the open position.

If desired, the egg carton may be scored for the complete length of the blank along a line co-linear with the Cut lines 61 of the transverse partition panels. This is a conventional practice to enable an egg carton which holds a dozen eggs to be torn in half for sale of a half dozen eggs. Alternatively, the front closure ap and the cover panel 16 may be scored by the score line 30, so as to enable only a single half of the carton cover to be opened independently of the other half as is illustrated in FIGURE l.

Referring now to FIGURES 5-7, there is illustrated a second embodiment of the invention of this application. This embodiment is identical to that illustrated in FIGURES 1-4 except that the center posts 51 are not provided with the longit-udinal crease or fold line 85 and the bottom panels 118, 119 are cut differently so as to accommodate and lock the fiat posts 51. In all other respects the cartons are identical and therefore identical sections of the carton have been given identical numerals.

In this carton, the front bottom panel 119 is separated from the rear bottom |118 `by a spacer strip 175. These bottom panels 118, 119 are joined to the spacer strip 175 by a pair of fold lines 176 and 177 respectively.

To accommodate the flat center posts 51, the slots 127 in the bottom panels are defined by a pair of opposed flaps 178, 179. The flap `179 is defined by a coniigurated cut line 180 in the rear bottom panel 118 and the spacer strip 175. This flap is foldable about a fold line 131 in the'spacer strip 175. The flap 178 is defined by a cut line 182. To insert the generally T-shaped center post 51 into the slots 127, the flaps v178 are deflected downwardly as are the flaps 179i. When forced downwardly, the flaps 178 permit the enlarged head portion 86 of the center posts 51 to slip within the narrow portion o-r neck of the slot defined by the downwardly deflected tab or bottom flap 179. The flap 178 then springs upwardly as shown in FIGURE 7 to preclude the lower enlarged portion 86 of the center post from slipping out of the slot 127. To further preclude the ends 86 of the center post from inadvertently slipping from the slots 127, each llap 17S is provided with a rounded tip or end 186 dened by the cut line on slot 127.

After the center posts are inserted through the slots 127, the downwardly deected iiaps 179 remain extended downwardly and in engagement with the lower portions of the center posts so as to bias the center posts outwardly against the necked-in portion 185 of the bot-tom panels 118, 119. In this position, they preclude the center post from being folded beneath the carton into a position in which the center posts n-o longer support the bottom panels 113 and 119 in the inclined position. This inclined position of the bottom panels is desirable in order to cushion the bottoms of the eggs. Additionally, the angulated lower portions 86 of the center posts cooperate with the downwardly deected flaps 179 to provide additional vertical resiliency and thus cushioning in the assembled carton,

The egg carton of FIGURES 5-7 is assembled in the same fashion as the egg car-ton of FIGURES l-4, Specifically, the glue flap 23 is -lirst secured to the inside surface of the rear panel 17 and the center posts 51 are inserted through the bottom panel slots 127 to complete the erection of this carton.

As will be particularly clear from viewing FIGURE 1, the front surface of the vertical partition panel of both embodiments of the egg carton provides an ideal surface for printing of advertising material which is viewable when the carton is open. An additional advantage of this carton is that it exposes the whole upper half of the eggs contained therein to cool air circulation as well as facilitating easy removal of eggs. As may be seen more clearly in FIGURES 2 and 6, the spacing of the exposed slots in the front and rear bottom panels separate the transversely opposed center posts with the result that the carton has transverse resiliency so that squeezing the carton transversely does not result in broken eggs until the gap between the opposed center posts is closed.

While only two embodiments of the invention of this application have been illustrated and described herein, those skilled in the art of manufacturing egg cartons will readily appreciate that numerous changes and alterations may be made in these illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit of my invention.. Therefore, I do not intend to be limited except by the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim :1

1. A one piece egg carton including connected bottom, front and rear side panels, the bottom panel being inclined upwardly from the lower edges of the front and rear walls toward its longitudinal center line, said bottom having a plurality of spaced slots therein, a cover panel connected to the rear panel by a fold line, a vertically disposed longitudinal partition panel folded upon itself and extending longitudinally medially of the carton between the front and rear walls, a pair vof spaced transverse partition panels connected to the vertical partition panel by fold lines, said transverse partition panels extending on opposite sides of the vertical partition panel to the front and rear panels to provide spaced rows of egg receiving pockets, the front one of said transverse panels being connected to the front panel by a fold line and the rear one of said transverse partition panels being secured to the rear panel, and a plurality of vertical center posts integral with said vertical partition panel and cut from said transverse partition panels, the lower por- 7 tions of said center posts extending through said bottom panel slots to secure said carton in erected condition and to provide vertical partitions between the lower portions of eggs placed in transversely opposed pockets.

2. A one piece egg carton including connected bottom, front and rear side panels, the bottom panel being inclined upwardly from the lower edges of the iront and rear walls toward its longitudinal center line, said bottom having a plurality of spaced slots therein, a cover panel connected to the rear panel by a fold line, a vertically disposed longitudinal partition panel folded upon itself and extending longitudinally medially of the carton between the front and rear walls, a pair of spaced transverse partition panels connected to the vertical partition panel by fold lines, said transverse partition panels extending on opposite sides of the vertical partition panel to the front and rear panels to provide spaced rows of egg receiving pockets, the front one of said transverse panels being connected to the front panel by a fold line and the rear one of said transverse partition panels being secured to the rear panel, and a plurality of vertical center posts integral with said vertical partition panel and cut from said transverse partition panels, one center post being cut from each of the egg pocket deiining portions of each of said transverse partition panels, the lower portions of said center posts extending through said bottom panel slots to secure said carton in erected condition and to provide vertical partitions between the lower portions of eggs placed in transversely opposed pockets.

3. A one piece egg carton including connected bottom, front and rear side panels, the bottom panel being inclined upwardly from the lower edges of the front and rear walls toward its longitudinal center line, said bottom having a plurality of spaced slots therein, a cover panel connected to the rear panel by a fold line, a vertically disposed longitudinal partition panel folded upon itself and extending longitudinally medially of the carton between the fron-t and rear walls, a pair of spaced transverse partition panels connected to the vertical partition panel by fold lines, said transverse partition panels extendi-ng on opposite sides of the vertical partition panel to the front and rear panels to provide spaced rows of egg receiving pockets, the front one of said transverse panels being connected to the front panel by a fold line and the rear one of said transverse partition panels being secured to the rear panel, and a plurality of vertical center posts integral with said vertical partition panel and cut from said transverse partition panels, the lower portions of said center posts extending through said bottom panel slots to secure said carton in erected condition and to provide vertical partitions between the lower portions of eggs placed in transversely opposed pockets, the lower portions of transversely opposed vertical posts being spaced apart so as to provide transverse resiliency in the assembled carton.

4. A one piece egg carton including connected bottom, front and rear side panels, the bottom panel being inclined upwardly from the lower edges of the front and rear walls toward its longitudinal center line, said bottom having a plurality of spaced slots therein, a cover panel connected to the rear panel by a fold line, a vertically disposed longitudinal partition panel folded upon itself and extending longitudinally medially of the `carton between the front `and rear walls, a pair of spaced transverse partition panels connected to the vertical partition panel by fold lines, said tranverse partition panels extending on opposite sides `of the vertical partition panel to the :front and rear panels to provide spaced Arows of egg receiving pockets, the front one of said transverse panels being connected to the front panel by ya fold line and the rear one of said transverse partition panels being ysecured to the rea-r panel, and a plurality of vertical center posts integra-l with said vertical partition panel and cut from said transverse par-tition panels, the lower portions of said center posts extending through said bottorn panel slots to secure said carton in erected condition and to provide vertical partitions between the lower portions of eggs placed in transversely opposed pockets, said slots being generally V-shaped and said center posts being creased into generally V-shaped cross-sectional congunation to tit said slots and thereby increase the vertical rigidity of said posts and the vertical rigidity of the assembled carton.

5. A one piece egg carton including connected bottom, front and rear side panels, the bottom panel being inclined upwardly from the lower edges of the front and rear walls toward its longitudinal center line, said bottom hav ing a plurality of spaced slots therein, Ia cover panel connected to the rear panel iby a fold line, `a vertically disposed longitudinal partition panel folded upon itself and extending longitudinally medially of the carton between the front and rear walls, a pair of spaced transverse pan tition panels connected to the vertical partition panel by fold lines, said tranverse partition panels extending on opposite sides of the `vertical partition panel to the front and rear panels to provide spaced rows of egg receiving pockets, the front one `of said transverse panels being connected to the front panel by a fold line and the rear one of said transverse partition panels being secured to the rear panel, and a plurality of vertical center posts integral with said vertical partition panel and cut from said transverse partition panels, the lower portions of said center posts ext-ending through said bottom panel slots to secure said carton in erected condition and to provide vertical partitions between the lower portions of eggs placed in transversely opposed pockets, each of said slots being defined by a pair of opposed bottom naps, one of each of said pair of iaps being folded downwardly upon insertion of said center post through said slot and retained in said downwardly folded position by said center post.

6. The egg carton of claim 5 wherein the lower portion of each of said center posts deli-nes `a generally inverted T-shape.

7. A one piece egg carton including connected bottom, front and rear side panels, the bottom panel being inclined `upwardly from the lower edges of the front and rear wails toward its longitudinal center line, said bottom having a plurality of spaced slots therein, a cover panel connected to the rear panel by a lfold line, a vertically disposed longitudinal partition panel `folded upon itself and extending longitudinally medially of the carton between the front and rear walls, a pair of spaced transverse partition panels connected to the vertical partition panel lby fold lines, said transverse partition panels extending on opposite sides of the vertical partition panel to the front and `rear panels to provide spaced rows of egg receiving pockets, the front one of said transverse panels `being connected to the front panel by a fold line and the rear one of said transverse partition panels being secured to the rear panel, a plurality of vertical center posts integral with said vertical partition panel and cut from said transverse partition panels, the lower portions of said center posts extending through said bottom panel slots to secure said carton in erected condition and to provide vertical partitions between the lower portions of eggs placed in transversely opposed pockets, and a row of downwardly folded flaps cut from each of said transverse partition panels, each of said egg receiving pockets being at least partially defined by a pair of said downwardly folded aps.

8. The egg carton of ciaim ll wherein each of said egg receiving pockets is partially deined by a pair of opposed downwardly folded flaps out from said transverse partition panels, the flaps cut `from said transverse partition panel being joined to said front panel and said vertical partition panel by gussets, and the flaps cut from said rear transverse partition panel being joined to said vertical partition panel and a glue strip by gussets, said glue strip being secured by adhesive to said rear panel.

9. The egg carton of claim 7 wherein the lowermost portions of said downwardly folded flaps engage said front and rear walls to assist in rigidifying Said assembled carton.

10. The egg cart-on of claim 7 `wherein the downwardly folded flaps located at the longitudinal ends of the carton are joined to the vertical partition panel at a point above the point at which at least some of the other flaps are joined to said vertical partition panel so as to minimize the chance of small eggs inadvertently falling from the assembled and filled cartons.

11. A one piece egg carton comprising, in sequential order, a front closure flap, a cover, a rear panel, a pair of bottom panels, a front panel, a front transverse partition panel, a vertical partition panel, a rear transverse partition panel, and a glue flap, said bottom panels being adapted when assembled to be inclined upwardly and inwardly toward the carton longitudinal center line, said bottom panels having a plurality of spaced slots therein, said vertical partition panel being adapted to `be reversely folded upon itself, said glue flap being adapted to be secured to the inside of said rear panel, a row of egg cell dening aps cut in each of said transverse partition panels, and a plurality of center posts cut from between adjacent egg cell defining flaps, said center posts being integral with said vertical partition and adapted to form vertical extensions thereof when inserted through said slots in said bottom panels,

12. The egg carton of claim 11 wherein transversely opposed slots in said pair of bottom panels are spaced apart so as to provide transverse carton resiliency when the center posts are inserted through the slots in the assentbled carton.

13. A one piece egg carton comprising, in sequential order, a front closure flap, a cover, a rear panel, a pair of bottom panels, a front panel, a `front transverse partition panel, a vertical partition panel, a rear transverse partition panel, and a glue flap, said bottom panels being adapted when assembled to be inclined upwardly and inwardly toward the carton longitudinal center line, each of said bottom panels having a plurality of spaced slots therein, said vertical partition panel being adapted to be reversely folded upon itself, said glue flap being adapted to be secured to the inside of said rear panel, a row of egg cell defining tia-ps cut in each of said transverse partition panels, and a plurality of center posts cut from between adjacent egg cell dening flaps, said center posts being integral with said vertical partition and adapted to form vertical extensions thereof when inserted through said slots in said bottom panels, said slots being generally V- shaped such that said center posts must be creased into a generally V-shaped cross-sectional configuration in order to be received into said slots,

14. A one piece egg carton comprising, in sequential order, a front closure flap, a cover, a rear panel, a pair of bottom panels7 a front panel, a front transverse partition panel, a vertical partition panel, a rear transverse partition panel, and a glue flap, said bottom panels being adapted when assembled to be inclined upwardly and inwardly toward the carton longitudinal center line, said bottom panels having a plurality of spaced slots therein, each of said slots being defined by a pair of opposed bottom flaps, said vertical partition panel being adapted to be reversely `folded upon itself, said glue flap being adapted to Ibe secured to the inside of said rear panel, a row of egg cell defining flaps cut in each ot said transverse partition panels, and a plurality of center posts cut from between adjacent egg cell defining flaps, said center posts being integral with said vertical partition and adapted to form vertical extensions thereof when inserted through said slots in said bottom panels, one of each of said pair of bottom flaps being adapted to be folded downwardly upon insertion of said center post through said slot and retained in said downwardly folded position by said center post.

l5. A one piece egg carton comprising, in sequential order, a front closure fiap, a cover, a rear panel, a pair of bottom panels, a front panel, a front transverse partition panel, a Ivertical :partition panel, a rear transverse partition panel, and a glue flap, said bottom panels being adapted when assembled to be inclined upwardly and inwardly toward the carton longitudinal center line, said bottom panels having a plurality of spaced slots therein, each of said slots :being dened by a pai-r of opposed bottom flaps, said vertical partition panel being adapted to be reversely folded upon itself, said glue dan being adapted to Abe secured to the inside of said rear panel, a row of egg cell defining flaps cut in each of said transverse partition panels, and a plurality of center posts cut from between adjacent egg cell defining flaps. said center posts being integral with said vertical partition and adapted to form vertical extensions thereof 'when inserted through said slots in said bottom panels, that portion of each of said center lposts remote from the vertical partition being generally of T-shaped configuration, one of each of said pair of bottom flaps being adapted t0 be folded downwardly upon insertion of said center post through said slot and retained in said downwardly yfolded position by said center post.

No references cited.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. D. T. MOORHEAD, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A ONE PIECE EGG CARTON INCLUDING CONNECTED BOTTOM, FRONT AND REAR SIDE PANELS, THE BOTTOM PANEL BEING INCLINED UPWARDLY FROM THE LOWER EDGES OF THE FRONT AND REAR WALLS TOWARD ITS LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE, SAID BOTTOM HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED SLOTS THEREIN, A COVER PANEL CONNECTED TO THE REAR PANEL BY A FOLD LINE, A VERTICALLY DISPOSED LONGITUDINAL PARTITION PANEL FOLDED UPON ITSELF AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY MEDIALLY OF THE CARTON BETWEEN THE FRONT AND REAR WALLS, A PAIR OF SPACED TRANSVERSE PARTITION PANELS CONNECTED TO THE VERTICAL PARTITION PANEL BY FOLD LINES, SAID TRANSVERSE PARTITION PANELS EXTENDING ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE VERTICAL PARTITION PANEL TO THE FRONT AND REAR PANELS TO PROVIDE SPACED ROWS OF EGG RECEIVING POCKETS, THE FRONT ONE OF SAID TRANSVERSE PANELS 